Create More Meaning at Work & Home in 2014

Who are your Five Most Cherished Relationships at Work and Home? Here are five ways to build more meaning in your life this year.

We were bringing in 2014 at a friends home last night. Between the fun zany dancing, great music and delicious food, one of the things that struck me was that when we are in the company of friends we love, having fun, everyone’s best selves’ show up, including my own. There was a tangible energy of love and creativity last night at the New Year’s Party we attended.

So, what are the most important ingredients for living your best life? I’d maintain it is your friendships! When you start a new job, get to know your colleagues – those people who have your back will bring your stress levels down so your brain can function in it’s most creative state. Work will then start to feel easy, like a hobby and less like work at all! Our tribal sense of connection and belonging to others is modeled by ants, bees, and termites and is an evolutionary phenomenon of us humans too. As human beings we are basically tribal. Friends contribute to our every aspect of overall health at work, home and in the community. We need them and they need you. Researchers define this as ‘eusociality’, which suggests the innate human drive to be part of a group is genetic.

Within our ‘group’, altruistic behaviors rise because of an unconscious need to improve our gene pool. This phenomenon is called ‘eugenics’. “And the ‘eusocial’ group contains multiple generations whose members perform altruistic acts, sometimes against their own personal interests, to benefit their group. ‘Eusociality’ is what makes our communities evolve and develop. In conversation last night, it occurred to me just how important it is that we do our best to live in a loving state and support one another.

The more supports you have in place, the less anxiety and anger will undermine you. And, the less these emotional states overwhelm you, the faster you will breakthrough
anxieties of life-stage, relationship shifts, or changes in your career. One of the first questions I ask clients who are in any process of transition is “who are your supports”? Supports secure you when anxieties undermine your stability. Your good friends will show up in good times and in bad times. Watch out for ants, bees and termites, they’ll want to join you too! A key indicator of mental wellness is the established presence of three to five core friends who you are current with and can count on as your home team. The same can be true at work. This year break bread with the people you are shoulder to shoulder with!

1. Be current in your relationships
2. Let those you care about know they matter
3. Behaviors say more than words
4. Design your life this year in a way that provides time
5. Do your friends share the same values as you?

What do you want more of in 2014! When have you felt your best before? How did you do that? I’d love to hear from you. Cheers to your best life yet to come!

Yes we all benefit from truly understanding the brain with all the research that is now available. These are some of the research parts and more of this in my book. Thanks for joining the community! Welcome.

Jo-Ann;
Thank you very much for this blog. What a nice way to start the New Year! Instead of the usual target to lose the same 10 pounds, let’s focus on our friends and life around us!
All the best to you and your family in 2014!
Ewa

Thank you Jo-Anne for helping me find peace, happiness, hope and the ability to retrain the way I think and the way I react to situations. Thank you for doing it in such a way that for the rest of my life I can use my new “key”, my new tools to reshape my mental patterns and carry out a great life!

T

Thank you so much for giving me the tools to overcome my anxiety and my fears.

K

We just wanted to send you a BIG THANK YOU for guiding us through our relationship issues last year. We are doing so much better together and we have both seen large improvements and changes in our behaviour. We are very happy together and we feel very connected to ourselves and each other. You are such a great inspiration. We were very lucky that you were the one to help us out through our difficult journey.

R & M

Jo-Anne has been such a valuable help in alleviating anxiety in several of my patients.

Dr. David HazlettM.D.

Jo-Anne has provided my patients with excellent care in the area of couples therapy and with individuals.

Dr. Marck HudonM.D.

I would recommend Jo-Anne highly. She is a knowledgeable, effective and professional psychotherapist. My patients are most grateful.

Dr. Marc BoileauM.D.

I loved Jo-Anne’s presentation on Sleep. She is enlightening and makes the information easy to understand. Its just a fun way to learn new concepts and its made me a believer that I can sleep when I follow her Five Steps to Sleep.

Julie BernardMinistry of Tourism, Sports & the Arts

I guess I have been seeing you for four years or more…..and in my personal life seen the bottom of my hell, and with your help found a way to figure out who I am, and what I really don’t want and what I really do. I have been able to make my life greater, and bigger – bigger than I ever thought possible. I find happiness in every day, and I laugh all the time now. I have let go of fears, and embraced courage going forward into the unknown. And I can happily say, after much hardship, heartb…

L

Just wanted to let you know you’re appreciated. Your knowledge and ability to share with the TELUS team members is an inspiration to us all. Once again, thank you so very much for returning to TELUS. Your topic on “Dealing with Difficult Conversations” at today’s Connections Lunch & Learn is invaluable. There are some good tools and tips that we can all put to use right away.

I wanted to drop you a note and thank you for all the assistance you have provided me over the years. Truthfully I don’t know where to start! When I came to you I was dealing with many issues that were severely effecting my health, happiness and career. With your guidance and assistance, I have managed to completely turn things around. I am so much more at peace with myself; my personal life is great and my career has never been more focused and successful. I am very happy now in no …